The sun rays snuck in between the blinds of the classroom. Chairs stacked up in the corner of the room, no loud kids or nothing.

Jordan stood in front of the classroom door. He turned around to look at his girlfriend Vanessa and their daughter Jayla. A sigh came out of Jordan's mouth as he opened the door.

An old looking women was filling out papers at her desk, while humming The Wheels On The Bus.

Vanessa and Jordan sat on little colored chairs looking around the room trying to get the women's attention.

"I'm sorry, did we come at the wrong time?" Vanessa broke the silence.

The woman turned around in surprise putting her papers in a folder.

"Oh. No. No, no, no, not at all. How are you Vanessa?" The woman chuckled.

Vanessa smiled while the woman made her way over to them. She looked at Jordan.

"You must be Jayla's father?" The woman shook Jordan's hand. and smiled.

"So nice to finally meet you." The woman took a seat on one of the colored chairs in front of the two.

"This is just a conference I wanted to have to talk to the both of you about Jayla."

The two gave worried faces. "Is everything alright?" Jordan slowly said.

The woman's face became serious and was no longer smiling. "Um... she seems to be..." The woman stuttered for a second. "Very... advanced, very gifted."

A sigh of relief came out of both of them as they heard the news from Jaylas teacher. "Oh thank god." Vanessa said in relief. Jordan shook his head giving a laugh of relief. "I thought she was pulling her hair out and eating it or something like that." Vanessa said as everyone laughed.

"Oh. Nothing of the sort.".

"Like sniffing white-out or something" Jordan said laughing. "Biting children."
Vanessa said.

"Far from it. Far from it." The woman folded her hands together.
"She is excelling in everything. I mean, she knows all the colors, she knows her letters. She's beginning to work math problems." The woman chuckled.

Jordan smiled and nodded. He looked at Jayla, she was playing on her phone with pink headphones.

"That's why I spoke with my friend at the Holy Oak Academy. It's one of the best schools in the Southeast. They have space available for their pre-k program next year, and I think it might be a good idea for the two of you to consider enrolling Jayla there."

There was a quick moment of silence. in the room. "Okay.." Jordan said. "Is it a private school-"

"It's a private school." The woman confirmed Jordan. "It has a reasonable tuition."

Jordan and Vanessa looked at each other awkwardly, Vanessa gave a nod of approval. "Okay. Okay." Jordan nodded at the woman.

"We'll definitely do th-th-that." Jordan stuttered. "Sounds like something we'd- we'd probably do... uh, for first grade."

"Yeah.." Vanessa added.

"Is there anything we can do with her staying here, to-to help her progress? Like maybe um..."

The woman looked at Jordan with a confused face and squinted her eyes.

"some more books or assignments?" Jordan asked. The woman looked at the two in silence and confusion.

"Stay here...? No." The woman leaned closer to the two. "This school is awful."

Vanessa looked surprised as her eyes got big for a second. Jordan and Vanessa sighed in shocked and looked at each other.

"This school is awful?" Jordan asked curiously.

The woman gave a long "Yes!" to the two. "There are not enough resources or faculty to ENGAGE a student like Jayla, she is really stunting her education here."

Jordan nodded and sucked his teeth in while leaning in close to the woman.

"Is there something we could do for Jayla... that, um... would be..." Jordan looked at Vanessa struggling to spit out the word.

"...Cheaper?"

The woman stared at the two with no expression on her face and her eyebrows raised up.

"Keep her in a happy, two-parent household?" The woman suggested.

"huh."
"hmm."
The two both made the same noise out there mouth.

Vanessa looked at Jordan. "Interesting." she nodded. "Good." Jordan said nodding.

Another long pause of silence filled the air.

"Thank you." Jordan said getting up
"Yeah. It was nice seeing you again." Vanessa agreed.

The woman smiled. "Nice to see you, too."

"Thank you." Jordan said.

They all got up from the very uncomfortable tiny chairs. "Jayla." Vanessa called out.

Vanessa took her phone from Jayla and her headphones, and picked her up off the ABC carpet.

"Where are we going?" Jayla said

"Uh, we... we're gonna go home." Jordan answered in a baby friendly voice.

The two parents smiled at the woman.

"Bye!" The woman waved at Jayla.

Jordan and Vanessa awkwardly make there way out of the door, until Vanessa turned around to ask the teacher something.

"I'm sorry." Vanessa said.

The woman looked up from the stack of papers on the table.

"Would you have told us the school was bad if she really was a regular student?"

The gave a polite "No." and smiled at them.

"If I see a steer smart enough to get out of the pen, I'll leave the gate open." The woman nodded her head. "Thank you for coming in."

Vanessa slowly nodded her head.
"Thank you."

The three made there way in the colorful hallway and out the door to their car.

------------------------------------------------
Vanessa pointed her keys to her white sliding door car and unlocked it.

"She just compared the school to a slaughter house right?" Vanessa asked while putting Jayla in her car seat.

"Yeah I definitely heard that."

"Okay.." Vanessa said under her breath. "We knew schools in this area aren't that good."

Jordan got in the car. "At least she won't be the only black kid."

The sun was getting ready to set and the sky was getting orange.

"You know if she's gonna go to this school, you need to show up more than you been able to." Vanessa tilted her head in front of Jordan.

"Yeah I know, we'll, we'll make it work. Jordan nodded.

On the ride home it was silent, Jayla was fast asleep with the headphones on her head. Vanessa stopped at a light and gave Jordan a patient smile.

"You know, I always thought she was gonna be smart."

"I think every parent thinks that." Jordan replied.

The light turned green and the car started moving again.

"I don't know. I mean... I thought she was, like, actually gonna be advance."

Jordan looked at Jayla asleep in her car seat. "What makes you say that?"

Vanessa gently put her palm on Jordan's thigh. "You're smart. I figured... some of it would get passed along, hopefully."

"Yeah, well, you're smart, too, so..." Jordan replied. "Maybe it was yours, you know?" Jordan smiled.

The car stopped in front of Vanessa's apartment. Vanessa got out and unbuckled Jayla gently out of the car seat. The apartment was smushed in between other apartments. It was pitch black outside. Vanessa made her way to the door and went inside, she turned around. Jordan stopped in front of the door.

Vanessa gave a feel bad smile. She reached out her hands and gave Jordan a key with the number "622" written on a white paper.

"You know I can't let yo ass in, you still can't pay for it-"

"Yeah, I know." Jordan interrupted.

Crickets chirped loud and the air got cold, but whenever he was around Vanessa, it never got cold.

"I uh, gotta date tomorrow also." Said Vanessa.

Jordan nodded and stepped off the patio.

"So, uh, goodnight." Jordan said.

"Night." Vanessa replied quietly. "Love you."

Jordan walked down the sidewalk in the cold night. Cars came up and down the road with bright headlights.
He went passed all the apartments until he made it to the storage units.

Jordan walked down the lanes of storage units until he came by unit 622. he put the key in the slot and lifted the door. An old mattress was in the middle with a lamp next to it and piles and piles of boxes on the corners.

Jordan closed the storage door and flicked on the lamp, and laid down on the mattress.

--------------------------------------

"Hey" a voice echoed in Jordan's head. "Hey man you gotta get up"

Jordan's eyes quickly opened up. It was the morning and someone was standing infront of the doorway of the storage unit with the door opened.

"Huh?" Jordan confusingly asked. He sat up from the mattress and yawned.

"Man, they know you been sleepin' here, you gotta go or they gon' arrest yo ass."

Jordan recognized that voice and focused his eyes on who was talking. It was his friend Tracy.

"C'mon bro." Tracy helped Jordan get up. Jordan noticed Tracy was still wearing that purple
durag for his waves.

"How you know, that they know that I'm sleepin in here?" Asked Jordan.

"They was talkin' bout you, anyway, man where you gon' go now?"

Jordan thought hard about this, as he was pretty much homeless, he can't live with Vanessa until he get money to afford it.

"Don't yo cousin got a place? What his name? Marvin?"

"Oh yeah you right, but I don't know where he live." Jordan looked at the ground. "I could ask my parents but they don't wanna see my face no more."

"Man I don't know bro, but you just gotta get yo shit together." Tracy gave me a made up handshake and got in his car. "I'll drive you there bro."

Jordan sighed and got in the car with Tracy. It wasn't a long drive at all, but passing all the broken down buildings and dark alleyways is always a sight.

The car stopped in front of Jordan's parents house. It was a little street house, not at all good looking, but it was better than an apartment.

"Aight man I gotta go somewhere, good luck bro." Tracy said as he drove off.

Jordan stood at the porch and sighed. He strangely knocked on the door. And waited. Large footsteps could be heard approaching the door, like an elephant making its way through the jungle. The door opened, Jordan jumped a little bit in the process.

"Son." Said his father with a deep voice. His voice always sounded like Simba's dad from the Lion King.

Jordan nodded. "Hey, Dad... Where's Mom?"

A voice came from the window next to the front door. "Hey, Jordan."

"Hey, Mom." Jordan replied.

Jordan and his dad stared at each other for a couple seconds. Birds chirped on the power lines in the front yard.

"How are you?

"Good." Said Dad. "How're you?"

"I'm good..."

"Good."

Jordan had a fake smile on his face, and stood there longer staring at his Dad.

"You gonna invite me in?"

His Dad chuckled. "No."

"Why not?" Jordan said with an annoyed face.

"I can't afford it." Replied his Dad.

Jordan sighed. "C'mon you really think I'm here for money?"

His Dad gave Jordan a "really?" face. "We do." Said his Mom.

"I'm looking for Marvin, and also could you pick up Jayla today? I'm going to a job, and Vanessa has a date."

"Hey! Good for her." Cheered his Mom.

"You gotta job?" Asked his Dad.

"Yes I gotta job, and thanks mom, I'm your son Jordan, I used to live in there with you, remember?"

"Used to? There was a turd the size of my arm waitin' for me in that bathroom." Said Dad. "You supposed to be so smart, you can't remember to flush?"

Jordan froze in shock. "That wasn't me."

"That was you, I checked. You better eat something real. Instead of all those candies and cookies, whatever all the stuff was in there." Replied his Mom.

"Marvin is at the Glimwood apartments." His Dad immediately shut the door. "Love you, son."

Jordan was about to say something, but then walked off to the street. Many people were on the street, getting high, drinking, selling weed. Jordan is just used to it though.

------------------------------------

Smoke from weed filled the air, plates and random things were laying around everywhere.
But it wasn't too bad, the apartment still looked clean even though it didn't.

"Yo is this milk any good?" Asked Darius. He grabbed a milk jug out of the fridge. He had on an apron and a gold chain.

Marvin blew smoke out of his mouth and put down the PS4 controller. "I don't know man, it depends on what you using it for."

"To drink."

Marvin took another hit from the joint. "Nah man I wouldn't use it."

The sound of knocking came from the door. Both Darius and Marvin looked at each other and approached the door. Marvin pulled a gun out if his pocket and opened the door a little bit, aiming the gun at whoever was knocking.

"Oh, your peep-hole is for real." Jordan said surprised.

Marvin instantly recognized who it was. And let Jordan inside without saying anything. Jordan followed Marvin down the hall, Marvin pointed at the kitchen entrance. "That's Darius." He said.

Jordan got closer to the kitchen and saw Darius holding a knife and a plate of cookies, and wearing a bandana.

"Want a cookie?" Asked Darius.

Jordan stopped and observed Darius. After a second, he reached out and got a cookie and continued following Marvin.

They made it to the living room.

"So, you gotta PS4--"

"You want in my crib?" Marvin interrupted Jordan.

Jordan chuckled. "Whaaat?!" Knowing he just got caught. "..no..."

"Please, people ain't just nice Jordan." Marvin exclaimed. "When was the last time you were nice to a girl that weren't trynna smash?"

"Yesterday..."

"You talkin' bout yo daughter, man, that's gross."

Marvin sat down on the couch. "No it would be gross if I was trying to smash." Replied Jordan.

"I don't wanna handout, I wanna get that money with y'all."

"Ooh, boy you think you slick coming in here trynna save me when really I'm saving you, AGAIN." Marvin said

"I wanna help you!" Jordan replied.

Marvin got up in Jordan's face. "Nigga I haven't heard from you since my momma funeral. And the first thing you say to me is ''let's get rich?'' walk, man." Marvin walked away.

"Trust me man, I know you strugglin' I know I'm strugglin', I know you ain't gonna be at this apartment long, and I know we both need that thing called money." Jordan said firmly.

Marvin stopped walking, and turned to face Jordan. "So what you gonna do?" He asked.

"I know you sell weed bro."

"Shh! Damn not so loud!" Hushed Marvin.

"Listen, I know this college party goin' on tomorrow, and you know how they are on weed. We can go to the party, and get our money, then my kid will be happy, your kids can be happy, Darius's kids can be happy."

"Nah I can't have kids." Said Darius.

"Please man. I know this girl from Instagram, she gotta dorm we can stay at too, its gonna be a pajama party or something." Jordan pleaded.

"You know any girl with over 3k followers have an unrealistic view of the world?" Darius added.

"Yeah, she only got 200 followers."

"Ok that's even weirder."

Marvin sighed, and put down his joint. "Aight, fine, that's like 60k geranteed if you right."

Jordan sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"Yeah, we better get to sleep now, we gotta big day tomorrow." Darius suggested.

"Alright, but I gotta go do something with Vanessa, I'll come by mid night." Jordan waved and went out the door."

----------------------------------------

It was dark outside, both Vanessa and Jordan were in the backseat of an Uber. RnB music played on the radio. The city lights were so bright and pretty, and people were all walking around the city at night.

"So your date with that corny dude didn't work out?" Jordan asked.

"No." Vanessa smiled. "He was a real dick"

They both looked out separate windows. "Look, this date gon' be different alright?" Jordan assured.

"Mmm hmm"

Finally they made it to the place they were going to eat. Both Jordan and Vanessa were dressed nicely. Jordan held the door for Vanessa. Jazzy music played, and there was people everywhere inside eating.

"Damn, this place is kinda nice."

"Yeah." Agreed Jordan. "Because one thing you wanna do when your drunk, is sit in a chair for two hours."

"Yeah totally." Vanessa smiled.

Both went up to the fancy marble top counter to place a seat.

"May I take your order?" Asked the employee.

"Yeah can I get a table, with uh, booth seats, table for two, also." Jordan asked.

"Sure! Regular, or VIP?" Asked the employee.

Vanessa gave a curious face. "What does VIP get you-"

"It doesn't matter." Jordan interrupted. "Two VIP's."

Vanessa gave a surprised face. "Okay."

Jordan handed the employee a $100 bill. The employee stared at the bill, and sucked air in her teeth. She gave the bill back.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take a bill that large." Said the employee.

"... Its alright, um... just use my debit."

The employee took the debit card and asked for ID. She took the ID and looked up at Jordan.

"Okay. I got to make a copy of these every time we swipe it, so, um, are you good on tickets?"

"You gotta make a copy EVERY time you swipe?" Jordan annoyingly asked.

"Yeah, I know its crazy, its a new policy though."

Jordan sighed. "Yeah but... I don't want a bunch of copies of my debit card and my drivers license all around, you know... What if somebody steals it?"

"We are not responsible for that-"

Vanessa interrupted. "You know what? It's fine, 'cause I have cash. I could just pay with it."

"No, its fine. Um, it's okay, we'll... We'll figure something else out. It's fine. Thank you" said Jordan.

They both walked away from the fancy counter. Vanessa caught up with Jordan. "Babe, it's fine. I can pay."

"No, it... This place feels weird to you, right? It feels kinda strange."

"Yeah. Its a weird policy." Vanessa agreed.

"When did they even start doing that?"

They both turned around and listened to the employee at the counter.

"$32.28." Said the employee.

A man at the counter pulled out his wallet and pulled out an $100 bill, and gave it to the employee.

Jordan and Vanessa watched in shock as the employee happily took the bill.

"Whaat!?" Jordan whispered. "That's a hund... Hold on right there."

Jordan walked up to the man at the counter.

"Excuse me sir? I-I know you don't know me, I just tried to pay with a hundred, and they told..."

The man lifted up his jacket coat to reveal a pistol on his hip, while still talking to the employee.

"Wow. Okay, let's-let's get out of here. Yeah." Jordan said backing up to Vanessa.

-------------------------------

Both sat in the same Uber silent. Looking out of both windows in the back seat. Vanessa smiled and looked at Jordan.

"I told you not to use the $100 bill."

Jordan's head lifted up quickly. "Why? It's legal U. S. tender."

"Nobody uses cash like that anymore." Replied Vanessa. "What are you, Gucci Mane? Come on."

"I should be able to use a $100 bill, okay? What happened to us was racist."

"It was weird." Vanessa smiled while looking out the window.

"No, it was racism, textbook, I caught that lady red handed."

Vanessa laughed.

"Your fucking with me, that's not funny." Said Jordan.

"It's funny." Vanessa said, laughing.

Vanessa put her head on Jordan's shoulder smiling.

----------------------

Jordan woke up in Marvin's apartment, not remembering last night at all. Today was the day they gettin' paid. Jordan got dressed and knocked on Marvin's and Darius's door.

The two met Jordan in the living room.

"We should probably get going, you know, 75 about to be crazy." Jordan said in a tired raspy voice. "Oh, and your fits on the table."

"Yeah." Marvin verified.

Jordan stood standing, and looked at Marvin. "Hey, man, if you want this money, we need these college customers. And that's like, 60k guaranteed."

Marvin picked up a gun from the table and out it in his bag.

"You heard me right?" Asked Jordan.

"Nigga I heard you."

"... 60k.." Said Jordan. "You do realize I'm trying to make you more money?" Jordan followed Marvin around the house.

"Look, no shade, but we both got different standards if living aight?" Said Marvin.

"Yeah, that's true, but I-"

Suddenly, Tracy pops out from behind the kitchen counter, scaring everybody.

"FUCK MAN! Tracy, man, what'd I tell you about breaking in my own goddamn apartment, man?" Marvin shouted.

Tracy opened the refrigerator and pulled out some Mac and cheese.

"This '38 almost sliced yo ass." Marvin added.

Tracy chuckled. "But nigga you know I'm staying here."

"Yeah? What happened to one week man? One week was months ago."

They both starred at eachother, while Tracy was eating his Mac and cheese